Public Policy Connections

Pennsylvania 2009/2010 Proposed Budget Cuts Library Funds

News that Pennsylvania Governor Rendell’s 2009/2010 budget cut would cut library funds did not come as a huge surprise; budget cuts are sweeping the globe. The current recession is affecting businesses and individuals on every level, from mega conglomerates down to the self-employed business owners working at a desk that doubles as a breakfast table.

 

What may come as a surprise to many, however, is the proposed 50% budget cut to the Bureau of the State Library. Information about library services, under the Department of Education, begins at E14.20 of the proposed Pennsylvania 2009/2010 Budget.  What is currently unknown is who and what will be affected by the proposed budget cut from 4.8 million to 2.4 million.

SLA is following this issue, and would like to hear from you as well.  Please contact Doug Newcomb, Chief Policy Officer, with any news that you might have regarding this or other major budget cuts affecting libraries.

ACT NOW! NIH Public Access Policy to be Reversed by H.R. 801

Last week, the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee (Rep. John Conyers, D-MI) re-introduced a bill that would reverse the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Public Access Policy and make it impossible for other federal agencies to put similar policies into place. Access to critical information on energy, the environment, climate change, and hundreds of other areas that directly impact the lives and well being of the public would be unfairly limited by this proposed legislation. The legislation is H.R. 801—counter intuitively titled the “Fair Copyright in Research Works Act”.

H.R. 801 would (1) reverse the NIH Public Access Policy, prohibit American taxpayers from accessing the results of the crucial biomedical research funded by their taxpayer dollars, and stifle critical advancements in life-saving research and scientific discovery.  H.R. 801 would amend the U.S. Copyright Code and prohibit federal agencies from requiring (as a condition of funding agreements) public access to the products of the research they fund. This will significantly inhibit access and the ability to advance scientific discovery and to stimulate innovation in all scientific disciplines as well as limit or block an individual’s ability to gain access to information that may affect them or someone they know.

SLA urges all supporters of tax payer funded research – information professionals, researchers,  campus administrators, patient advocates, publishers, and others – to please contact your Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives no later than February 28, 2009 to express your support for public access to taxpayer-funded research and ask that he or she oppose H.R.801.

Oppose H.R. 801 – Fair Copyright in Research Works Act -- Act Now! Go to SLA's Legislative Action Center to write a letter.

Visit previous posts:

SLA Provides Comments on NIH Public Access Policy

NIH Posts SLA Comments for Public Viewing

Organizations in Strong Support of NIH Public Access Policy

Public Access Statement Submitted to Obama Transition Team

Project Launched in Search of U.S. Government's Most Wanted Documents

Following up on a directive from President Obama to federal agencies to proactively make information available to the public, The Center for Democracy & Technology and OpenTheGovernment.org recently launched the Show Us the Data: The Most Wanted Government Documents Web site. This project aims to identify vital government information and encourage the federal government to make it accessible to the public.

Read press release.

SLA Provides Comments to Copyright Office, Library of Congress

SLA, as part of Library Copyright Alliance, provided comments to the Copyright Office, Library of Congress, regarding exemptions in the prohibition and circumvention of copyright protection systems. In accordance with Section 1201 (1) (A) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), the Librarian of Congress may issue classes of works that will be subject to exemptions from the statute’s prohibition against circumvention of technology that effectively controls access to a copyrighted work. The LCA argues that exemptions should 1). apply to audiovisual works included in any college or university library, not just the library of the media studies department, and 2). the exemption should apply to classroom uses by instructors in all subjects, not just media studies or film professors.

Read Comments.

GPO'S Federal Digital System (FDsys) Now Operational

The U.S Government Printing Office (GPO), the Federal Government's primary centralized resource for gathering, cataloging, producing, providing, authenticating and preserving published U.S. Government information in all its forms, has launched the Federal Digital System (FDsys). This system provides a one-stop site to published government information from federal agencies in all three branches of government and creates a repository for permanent, public access.

Read GPO press release.

New Zealand’s Copyright Act Makes Businesses Responsible for Allegations of Employee’s Infringement

On 28 February 2009, Section 92A of New Zealand’s revised Copyright Act will require Internet service providers to terminate Internet accounts on the basis of copyright holders' allegations of infringement.

What is interesting, or perhaps disturbing, is that under this new law, businesses that provide Internet access for employees will now be classified as Internet service providers. Giant media companies may be thrilled with Section 92A; this means that media companies and other copyright holders will not be required to go after the infringing individual allegedly illegally downloading materials and prove guilt, but will now send infringement notices to the business where the employee is gaining access to the Internet, requiring the business to work through the accusations of copyright infringement. 

 

What many businesses in New Zealand still don’t know is that Section 92A requires that the Internet service provider (now any business that provides Internet access to its staff) must adopt and reasonably implement a policy that provides for termination, in appropriate circumstances, of the account with that Internet service provider of a repeat infringer. 

 

Internet New Zealand Inc. has called on the New Zealand Government to resolve problems with Section 92A to prevent the cutting off of Internet access to innocent people and businesses and to avoid disruption to business.

 

Read New Zealand Government release.
Read news story.